Saturday was an awesome day of highschool soccer at McKenzie Stadium.
In reality, you may say it was almost good.
Earlier within the week, it appeared like Doc Harris Stadium is perhaps the positioning of the semifinal doubleheader.
Doc Harris was a WIAA-approved website to host a semifinal sport. Camas officers had been fascinated about internet hosting, and Gonzaga Prep was OK enjoying on Camas’ residence subject.
Seton Catholic had performed its earlier two playoff video games there, so the Cougars had been able to return to Camas.
However the WIAA stated no.
WIAA officers fearful that the restricted parking round Doc Harris would turn out to be a difficulty with the exiting followers from the 1 p.m. Camas-Gonzaga Prep video games and the arrival followers for the 4 p.m. Seton Catholic-Montesano matchup.
Additionally McKenzie Stadium had an excellent observe report, internet hosting state semifinals soccer doubleheaders in 2016 and 2018.
As followers arrived Saturday, McKenzie Stadium lacked the thrill it had when Camas confronted Sumner within the 2016 semifinal. That day the stadium was almost packed.
Gonzaga Prep followers solely stuffed about two-thirds of the visiting grandstand — comprehensible given the six-hour drive from Spokane.
However with about 20 minutes earlier than kickoff, it was eerily quiet on the Camas aspect. The Camas Excessive College band, which does a very good job of getting everybody fired up for kickoff with its pre-game routines, was absent, leaving a big emptiness within the grandstand.
The band was scheduled to depart Camas Excessive College at midday for the nine-mile journey to McKenzie Stadium. However the buses received delayed en route.
About quarter-hour previous to kickoff, the band arrived, a lot to the aid of Jason Castro, the occasion supervisor for the day.
“We were about 15 minutes away from starting this game with the Pledge of Allegiance,” Castro stated.
The Camas band received in place to carry out the Nationwide Anthem, and the sport started beneath clear blue, if only a bit chilly, skies.
On the sphere, the Camas-Gonzaga Prep sport was every part anybody may ask for. The Gonzaga followers had been fired up because the Bullpups took a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter.
Then Camas rallied again to attain touchdowns on every of the subsequent three possessions, sending the house followers right into a frenzy because the Papermakers got here away with a 28-20 win.
Camas will play in its fourth state championship soccer sport when the Papermakers meet Sumner at 7 p.m. Saturday at Husky Stadium in Seattle.
There was some concern that the 4 p.m. scheduled kickoff of the second sport Saturday won’t begin on time. However the Camas sport ended round 3:15 p.m.
But because the Papermakers celebrated, the Seton Catholic and Montesano gamers had been nowhere to be seen.
Usually throughout doubleheaders at McKenzie, groups will collect within the space behind every finish zone to start stretching. Then, they take the sphere as soon as the primary sport is over.
However on Saturday, each Seton and Monte started their pre-game warmups up on the sphere at Evergreen Excessive College.
Finally, Seton and Monte gamers made their strategy to the sphere at McKenzie, and the sport began on schedule.
The stands on the house aspect of the stadium weren’t as stuffed by Seton followers because it was with Camas followers. Seton is a a lot smaller college.
Nonetheless, the guests’ grandstand was simply as full with Montesano followers because it was with Gonzaga Prep followers, if no more so. Montesano is about two hours away, and Monte followers journey nicely.
It arrange an awesome scene for the nightcap, which additionally was an exciting sport though the ultimate rating could point out in any other case.
Seton Catholic led Montesano 21-14 with lower than eight minutes to play earlier than the Cougars put the sport out of attain with two late touchdowns.
The Cougars will play Royal within the 1A state title sport at 3 p.m. Friday at Husky Stadium. It marks Seton’s first journey to the state closing at school historical past, and the Cougars are the primary Trico League staff to succeed in the 1A state closing since Kalama in 1999.
An ideal ending to a near-perfect day, with another notice.
The Columbian predicted that Camas would beat Gonzaga Prep 28-21. The Papermakers received 28-20.
Seton was picked to beat Monte 35-20. The Cougars received 35-14, however Montesano received stopped deep in Seton territory within the closing moments of the sport earlier than being turned away.
So, like I stated, almost good.